Pochettino: A risk to play on Rochdale pitch

The routine dismissal of fourth-tier Newport County - a 2-0 victory - has set up a visit to Rochdale on Feb 18 and, if his players can negotiate the treacherous surface at Spotland, they could find themselves in the quarter-finals.

Never before have Spurs had a more straightforward route to the competition's last eight.

The Argentina worldwide, who last found the net for his club in September 2016, struck the second goal after defender Dan Butler's own goal to help Tottenham beat fourth-tier Newport in their fourth round replay at Wembley.

Spotland will again be the venue for Rochdale's fifth-round tie against Tottenham on Sunday week.

"After the last training session, I hope that he is still doing well and we can put him in contention". They were used to meeting the same people before the game, going to the same pubs.

This season they are playing all their Premier League home games and European matches at the stadium and they started by losing to Chelsea and drawing with Burnley and Swansea. I think there will be goals in this game and hopefully we can steal it.

The FA Cup has been a huge financial boost for Newport, with their run to this stage earning them at least £700,000 (Sh97 million, $972,000, 792,000 euros).

But the concern for the Welsh club was that the chance of an upset had come and gone at their Rodney Parade ground, where a goal from Irish striker Padraig Amond had looked as if it might secure a famous giant-killing.

Newport's goalkeeper Joe Day sits on the pitch after Serge Aurier's cross was diverted into the net by Newport's Dan Butler.

It was not long before Spurs had their second goal, when Lamela, getting on the end of a well-weighted through ball from Son, scored for the first time since finding the net against Gillingham in September 2016.

Lamela's display contrasted to that of Fernando Llorente, who missed two clear-cut chances in the second half to extend Spurs' lead.